| Apr 27, 2022 | Immigration Law
There are numerous noteworthy benefits to becoming a naturalized citizen. You no longer have to worry about the expiration of your visa or possible future removal efforts. There won’t be restrictions on your travel or your employment. You will also be able to sponsor more family members for green cards, such as your siblings and parents.
Becoming a citizen isn’t easy, but it is possible with the right preparation and support. The naturalization process requires commitment and advance planning. You have to pass a background check and prepare for an interview with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
What does the USCIS interview involve?
Your naturalization interview will focus on clarifying your application and history. During that interview, you will also have to pass tests in both Civics and the English language. Understanding the test requirements can help you prepare for one of the most important interviews of your life.
Immigrants must demonstrate proficiency in speaking and understanding the English language. The test will include reading sentences written in English, writing sentences in English and conversing with the interviewer. Those who are older and who have been in the country for years may be exempt from the English language test requirements in some cases.
What does the Civics test require?
Like the English test, the Civics test for immigration is a verbal or spoken test. The USCIS will ask you 20 questions. You will need to get at least 12 of those 20 questions correct in order to pass the Civics portion of the test. The USCIS helps people prepare by providing a comprehensive list of all 128 questions that could potentially be part of the test.
By learning the answers to those questions as you study for your naturalization interview, you can substantially increase your chances of passing.
What if you don’t pass?
Nerves or a gap in your study materials might mean that your performance falls short of the necessary standard to pass. If that happens to you, there is no need to despair. You do have the right to retake the test one time. Beginning to prepare for the test even before you initiate the naturalization process may increase your chances of passing.
Understanding the steps you must take to become a naturalized citizen can take the stress and guesswork out of the process.
